Closures and diversions continue as works to ease congestion between the Long Shoot and Dodwells island go into their sixth month.

The £4.7 million scheme will see the full shutdown of the A5 northbound between Hammonds Road and the roundabout, the full closure of Dodwells Road and there will be two way signal control on the A5 southbound and Coventry Road.

Looking ahead to the end of the month and attention turns to Coventry Road which will be shut and local diversions put in place. There will be single lane running on all approaches and exits from Dodwells roundabout but no works will affect the A5 either northbound or southbound.

The works are to widen the approaches to Dodwells island, improve footway and cycleway access on the island and ensure all service diversion works for utilities and other providers with underground pipes or cables is completed.

Contractors Lafarge Tarmac working on behalf of the Highways Agency have said Dodwells Road and Coventry Road will not be closed at the same time to ensure the local diversion route is unaffected.

But people living on Coventry Road have raised issues with local representatives about the number of HGVs using the route because of the Dodwells Road closures.

Borough councillor David Bill (Lib Dem Clarendon) has taken up the problem and approached the Highways Agency saying: “We are getting many complaints about the use at night of Coventry Road by HGVs. Is this because HGVs are ignoring the diversion signs and if so can these diversions be enforced?”

According to the roads’ authority little can be done since Coventry Road is an integral part of the local diversions.

A spokesman said: “The situation with HGVs on Coventry Road is not easy. The scheme is using Coventry Road as part of the local diversion route on the northern side of the A5. When A47 Dodwells Road is closed a lot of HGVs from the Dodwells industrial estates including Tesco will be using Coventry Road. The diversion was agreed by Leicestershire County Council and at the moment we don’t have an alternative. We will speak to the contractors working on site to see if we can minimise the number of Dodwells Road closures.

“In terms of diversions, we can look again at either an increase in signage or revise the signage but we are unable to enforce if motorists are ignoring mandatory diversion signs. Enforcement is the responsibility of the police.

“Unfortunately there will be some disruption for residents along the diversion route while the works are taking place. I would, however, like to reassure your residents that we will do all that we can to minimise the impact of them, especially at night.”

All roadworks involving traffic restrictions take place between 8pm and 6am. During the day works are taking place off the highway but narrow lanes and a 30mph speed limit are in place.

So far all Western Power, Virgin Media and Severn Trent diversions have taken place. A new drainage system has been installed on the roundabout and the inner widening of the island has been completed.

The project, which started in October, is part of a £317 million ‘pinch point’ improvement programme outlined during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in 2011 which aims to provide small scale improvements delivering big returns by easing congestion and making journey times more reliable for road users, including hauliers and commuters to help boost local economies and drive economic growth.”

Works involve widening the existing approaches and exit roads from the roundabout and installing traffic lights.

Additionally a controlled pedestrian crossing will be built at the Long Shoot junction. The scheme is expected to be completed by the end of April.